Jeff,
I was thinking about this on the way home from work tonight and was thinking back to my days of working an employee.
I had a winter meeting with my boss where the idea was he would make me an offer for the next year. Frankly, I was not 100% happy at the place but I was waiting for a great offer to give me the incentive to stay. It never appeared.
Anyway, I do remember that he spotted me as a guy who wanted his own business and he knew if I left that I was leaving to do just that.
He said that if things did not go the way I planned I was always welcome to come back and work for him. I was proud to hear that from my employer and have not had to take him up on the offer, though I am sure it is still good today. So this makes me remember what is was like to see things from the other side of the fence.
I still say trust your gut. If you are putting the post here then obviously you are having second thoughts...